Security

P&N Bank has comprehensive security measures in place to ensure your accounts and personal information are protected from unauthorised access. Whilst P&N has high level security measures in place to protect the bank from fraud, it is also important for members to be aware of fraud and how to protect themselves. Our website provides tips for enhancing security along with information about common types of fraud.

P&N Bank will never perform unsolicited phone calls asking you to confirm bank account details such as your account number or current balance.

We do occasionally contact you to inform you of our products and services that we think may be of interest to you, at which time, we may be required to identify you, to ensure that we do not disclose personal information. If you are concerned about the legitimacy of a phone call you have received, please ask the consultant for their name and advise you will call them back via our Contact Centre number. This will ensure you are speaking to P&N Bank directly and not an individual attempting to gain your account information.

Reporting Fraud

If you suspect that you have encountered a scam, or if you find a transaction on your statements that isn't your own, please contact P&N on 13 25 77. It is important to take an active role in preventing and combatting fraud.

What is a scam

Common signs of a scam:

An offer that comes out of the blue

A guaranteed quick and easy way to make money

Promises of low effort and no risk involved

A request for personal information (eg. banking details)

Sounds too good to be true

For more information, please visit the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch website or call into any P&N branch for your copy of “Little Black Book of Scams”, which is produced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, to help you avoid becoming a victim of scams.

Counterfeit detection

Australia might have one of the lowest rates of counterfeiting in the world, but that doesn’t mean it does not happen.

When determining if you’re dealing with counterfeit money, the first rule is to compare the suspect note with a genuine banknote. Suspect notes should always be turned over to the police as it is an offence to knowingly possess a counterfeit. If they prove to be genuine banknotes, the full value will be paid but no value is paid for counterfeits.

If you come across a banknote that you suspect is counterfeit:

handle the suspect banknote as little as possible and store it in an envelope

note any relevant information, such as how it came into your possession, a description of the person who passed it, any companions and any vehicle used, and

report the matter immediately to the police.

All Australian banknotes have similar security features which can be checked if you’re ever unsure of the validity of money that you come in possession of.

Suspicious transaction monitoring

In addition to our other security measures, we also monitor the following transactions 24 hours a day, seven days a week:

Visa Credit/Debit card

rediCard

online transactions through internet banking and the P&N Banking app.

Any suspicious activity detected is investigated. Other suspicious transactions are monitored during working hours Monday to Friday which may involve contacting members to confirm that all transactions appearing on their account are their own.

Although fraud monitoring for Visa Credit/Debit card, rediCard and online transactions operates 24 hours a day, our Fraud Department will only contact members between the hours of 7am to 10pm (WST). For all other monitoring, we will only contact you during business hours Monday to Friday. You should be wary of unsolicited calls supposedly from your financial institution. Genuine calls from the P&N Fraud Department will be made from telephone number 1300 705 750 for Visa Credit/Debit card and rediCard transactions.

Calls in relation to other fraud matters will be made from a telephone number with a prefix of 9219 7XXX or our Contact Centre number 13 25 77.

Should you have concerns about whom you are speaking with, do not provide any banking or personal information and hang up immediately. You should then advise our Contact Centre on 13 25 77 and they will be able to confirm if the call you received was from the P&N Fraud Department.

Technical

Encryption and TLS Connection

P&N has strong online encryption in place and uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology. This provides a secure connection between your computer and P&N systems. You can see that you are connected to a secure site utilising TLS technology by looking for the small padlock icon at the top of your web browser.

Digital Certificates

We also use Digicert Digital Certificates to ensure a secure connection to our online banking site. To check for the Digicert Digital Certificate before logging on to online banking, right click your mouse on the padlock to view the certificate. This should verify that you are logging on to P&N online banking site.

Automatic Time Out

For the security of our members, online banking sessions automatically time out after being left unattended for ten minutes.

Participating in committees

P&N is actively involved in combatting fraud and staying abreast of fraud related issues. We work with top industry bodies for fraud prevention and participate in various fraud prevention committees, including:

Verified by VISA

When you shop online, it’s important to know that your transactions are secure. To ensure your security, P&N Easypay VISA Credit Cards and VISA Debit Cards are equipped with protection from Verified by VISA.

What is Verified by VISA?

Verified by VISA is an online service designed to make internet transactions safer at participating merchants through the authentication of the cardholder’s identity at the time of purchase.

It provides reassurance to both you, the cardholder, and to the merchant that you are each engaging in a genuine transaction.

How does it work?

For your convenience and protection, the enhanced version of Verified by VISA works behind the scenes so in most instances you won’t be interrupted on your way to the checkout.

Each time you make an online purchase with a participating merchant, the Verified by VISA program assesses the risk level of the transaction. Certain activities may seem out of the ordinary because of the high dollar value or it is a retailer you have never bought from before. In these instances you will be asked to confirm some simple personal details to verify your identity so we can be sure the card isn’t being used without your permission.

You're already protected

All existing and new VISA cards are automatically registered for this free service.

Throughout the world a growing number of merchants are offering Verified by VISA. Look for the symbol as a sign these merchants value your business and your security.

PC requirements

Set up a firewall for your home computer. This will help to prevent unauthorised internet users accessing information from your computer while you are online.

Where possible, ensure that you install Microsoft's current security updates as soon as they are released. Visit the Microsoft website for further information about receiving security updates.

Install good antivirus software and keep it up to date. You can purchase some well respected anti virus packages from the internet such as Symantec,Trend Micro, or McAfee.

Where possible, avoid banking or shopping online at internet cafes or other public internet terminals.

Always look for the secure padlock icon within your browser window when logging on to an online banking or internet shopping website.

Regularly check your transaction history or statement for any unusual or suspicious transactions.

Whilst P&N strongly advises that you consider the above recommendations, we encourage you to thoroughly investigate the range of security options currently available before applying them to your PC. The following are some reasons for this advice.

Incorrectly configured firewalls can deny you access to the internet for various services including web browsing, email, downloading, online media and other services.

Microsoft security patches may be released with defects (bugs) that can cause adverse effects to the normal operation of your PC or its programs. These patches are essential to the protection of your PC and should be applied, however may have unwanted effects.

Virus scanners can cause PCs to perform poorly or may not interact with certain software.

In the event that you are unsure of the application of security measures to protect your PC, you should seek third party technical support. Whilst we strongly advise that you consider the above recommendations, P&N is in no way responsible for any adverse effects to your PC in applying the advised security measures.

Further Information

You can find further information about enhancing your home computer security on the following websites:

Banking safely online

Do not choose Internet Banking passwords that are easy to guess, such as your name or birth date.

Never tell anyone your log on information.

Change your Internet Banking password regularly.

Always log on to Internet Banking by typing the address, do not use hyperlinks from unknown sources.

Never leave an Internet Banking session unattended.

Always log out properly.

Additional information about what are the minimum browser specifications we recommend and support for accessing Internet Banking can be found here.

Social media

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are great ways to connect with friends and family, but they are also a way for fraudsters to connect with you.

Be careful that you don’t publish personal information that may compromise your personal security, in particular you should never publish in a post, tweet or a status update any private banking information like your PAN, PIN, bank account details or address.

Here are some things to consider when setting up and participating in social network sites:

Question each piece of information that you put on your profile and whether you’re willing to share it online - for example your home address or phone number.

Personal data such as birth date, drivers licence number, tax file number or bank account details should never be published.

Create complex passwords using upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters (such as $%&!), with a different password for each site.

Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know.

Never consider any communication on a social networking site to be personal or private.

Familiarise yourself with the privacy settings and security policy of any social networking sites you use.

If the site offers a reset password feature using a ’security question’, make sure that only you know the answer to the question.

Sort your friends into groups so that you can share specific content with selected friends.

Minimise the number of third party apps and services that you install or allow to access your account.

Don’t click links in messages or wall posts, even links sent to you by friends without checking first if the person intended to send it to you.

Card security

Sign new cards as soon as you receive them.

If you are expecting a new card and don't receive it within 10 working days, contact us on 13 25 77

Destroy expired cards.

Memorise your PIN (do not carry it with your card), don't use the same PIN for all of your access cards, and never tell anyone your PIN.

Do not select an obvious code for your PIN, such as your birth date.

Never provide your credit card details over the phone or internet unless you are sure that you are dealing with a legitimate organisation.

Notify P&N immediately if your card has been lost or stolen.

Make a record of card account and telephone numbers for reporting lost or stolen cards and keep it in a safe place away from your wallet or handbag.

At the ATM

Stay alert

Be cautious when strangers offer to help you at the ATM, even if your card is stuck or you are experiencing difficulty with the transaction. Avoid ATMs which have messages or signs fixed to them indicating that the screen directions have been changed, especially if the message is posted over the card reader. Banks and other ATM owners will not put up messages directing you to specific ATMs, nor would they direct you to use an ATM which has been altered. Do not use ATMs that appear to have been tampered with.

Memorise your PIN

Do not write your PIN down or keep it in your wallet or purse and do not give it to anyone. If you think it may have been compromised, please contact us immediately.

When disposing of personal documents, make sure you shred or tear them up.

Cancel all unused or dormant bank accounts.

Never provide your bank account details or other personal information in response to an unsolicited phone call or email.

Never pre-sign cheques and always cross them 'not negotiable'.

Request a copy of your credit file from Veda to make sure nobody is fraudulently using your identity to obtain credit. Veda are the custodians of personal information in Australia. Send a written request to Veda Public Access, PO Box 964, North Sydney, NSW 2059 or fax 02 9951 7880.

Industry links

Stay Smart Online is a government run website and provides tips for families and small business with topics like securing your computer, small business safe online, smart transacting online and kids safeonline.www.staysmartonline.gov.au

Help Prevent Identity Theft, Spyware & Viruses – Microsoft provides great tips in the 'security at home' section of their website on how to potect your computer, potect yourself and protect your family.www.microsoft.com/en-au/security/default.aspx

SCAMwatch provides information on how to recognise, avoid and report scams. This is a government run website and it is run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). www.scamwatch.gov.au

Regularly review your credit file with the credit reporting bureau. This will enable you to check that your identity have not been used without your knowledge.www.mycreditfile.com.au

For financial tips and safety checks on investment and superannuation proposals please visit the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website.www.moneysmart.gov.au

The Australian Crime Commission’s identity fraud intelligence facility provides valuable information and tips on how to avoid identity fraud.www.crimecommission.gov.au

WA ScamNet profiles the most prevalent scams targeting Western Australians and provides information on different types of scams, how to recognise scams, and what to do if you have received a scam.www.scamnet.wa.gov.au